Parsi community a role model for others: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday said hat the Parsi community in India has made “immense contribution” to nation building and is a “role model” for other communities.

The minister added that the declining population of Parsi community in India is “a matter of concern”.

Addressing a gathering of Parsi community, including several renowned personalities at the launch of ‘Jiyo Parsi Publicity Phase-2′, Naqvi said that the community had given so many great people who had been “architects of the nation building”.

Naqvi said that even though the Parsi community was a very small minority community in India, it had been one of “the most liberal, aware towards education and an example of peace and harmony”.

Remembering key Parsi personalities, Naqvi said that Jamshetji Tata played a crucial role in industrial development of India, Dadabhai Naoroji and Madam Bhikaji Cama played an important role in India’s freedom struggle and Homi J. Bhabha is the father of Indian nuclear programme.

“Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw’s services to the nation will be remembered always. Be it industry, military service, legal service, architecture or civil services, the Parsi community has always shown its talent,” the minister said.

The Jiyo Parsi Publicity Phase-1 was initiated in 2013 “for containing the declining trend of population of the Parsi community and reversing it to bring their population above the threshold level”, as per an official release.

“The main objective of the “Jiyo Parsi” scheme is to reverse the declining trend of Parsi population by adopting a scientific protocol and structured interventions, stabilising their population and increasing the population of Parsis in India,” the release said.

“Ministry of Minority Affairs’ scheme has two components: Medical Assistance and Advocacy/Counselling. The scheme has been successful. One hundred and one babies have been born in Parsi community through ‘Jiyo Parsi’ scheme,” it added.